Patterson already showing flashes of brilliance with Minnesota Vikings rookie keen to make his own mark

Cordarrelle Patterson has a habit of making a splash. In his only year with the Tennessee Volunteers he racked up a college record 1,858 all-purpose yards, and his white tuxedo, bow tie, braces and multicoloured belt turned heads on draft day.

The 29th overall pick is keen to forge his own path, despite following in the footsteps of legendary wideout Randy Moss in wearing No 84 for the Minnesota Vikings.

While admitting Moss is a role model, wide receiver Patterson is keen to tread his own path after penning a four-year contract, including a $3,631,672 signing bonus.

'Everybody has their own game. You can't look at nobody else's game to improve yourself, because if you try to be someone else you're not and then things start going wrong,' the 22-year-old, nicknamed 'Flash', says.

Flashy: Cordarrelle Patterson made his NFL bow against the Houston Texans in the first game of preseason, posting a 54-yard run from the kickoff (right)

Inevitably,
comparisons have been made with do-it-all receiver Percy Harvin, who
posted 3,183 career kick-return yards and five return touchdowns for the
Vikings before his offseason trade to the Seattle Seahawks.

'Percy
Harvin was a great player,' Patterson says. 'He did his time here, he moved on to better
things, I guess. I'm coming in as a rookie. I'm just trying to get out
there, I'm just trying to work hard every day at practice, compete with
the other guys. Make sure my opportunity comes, and when my opportunity
comes I make sure I'll be ready.'

'Ah
man, It's great to have someone like Greg. We're locker room buddies.
He'll always give me feedback. Doesn't matter if it's good or bad, he
always has something to say.

'He
tells me: "Just be yourself. Don't try to be someone you're not on the
field. Because when you start being someone else you're not, you start
messing up:. I just listen to that - of all the things he has to say,
I'll get that one in my head and make sure I remember that every day
when I step on the field and in practice.'

On the run: Cordarrelle Patterson returns a kickoff during the Minnesota Vikings' 20-16 preseason defeat to the Buffalo Bills

In
his first outing as an NFL player, 6ft 2in, 220-pound Patterson
continued his knack of making a bold impression with a 54-yard carry from the kickoff as he lead the
Vikings with 54 yards from four catches in the 27-13 preseason defeat to
the Houston Texans.

'It
was exciting. I try not to get too hyped about things. With that kick
off return I got that ball in my hands, the first thing I think about
was scoring. I had a heck of block in front of me. They couldn't have
blocked any better. I wish I could have scored it.'

While Vikings
head coach Leslie Frazier has praised his progress - 'He has done
really well at adjusting to our offense,' he said - the raw, dynamic receiver
knows he is far from the finished product.

'Coming
out of college in Tennessee I only had four months and a half, I hadn't
had time to work on my mechanics but I was still relying on my ability.
But here, now I'm in that dressing room, it's my job. I have more time
to focus on the things that I need to make my game better.

'I got some
great coaches here with me. I got Greg, Jarius Wright, Jerome Simpson,
so I make sure I don't slack, make sure I'm going 100 per cent every day
and try to get better.'

'My goal is I have one chance, one yard and one touchdown. Just that. I can't wish for anything else.'

All eyes on me: Patterson arrives at Radio City Music Hall for the first round of this year's draft

'I've
got a great team here, we look out for one another, make sure we save
each other - when one person's down make sure we get on and he gets back
up. It's a family here and it's a great experience.

'We
reaching for that goal - every team has that one goal in their mind so
we all hold each other accountable to make sure we all reach our goal
when the end of the season comes.'

The
Vikings host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Wembley next month and
Patterson is looking forward to his first visit to English shores.

'I
hope I can enjoy my time out
there, have a little fun before the game. Just relax, get away from a
lot of things, kick my feet up on a beach - do they have a beach out
there?'

'I hope they are
ready for me when I get there - I hope they show me a good time. I hope
they have a couple of malls down there. I
haven't had no time to spend some money yet, so I hope to find a good
mall so I can spend a couple of thousand!'